The Queen laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph in central London. There, she was followed by The Duke of Edinburgh, who joined the Royal Navy in 1939; Prince Harry, who has undertaken two tours in Afghanistan; and the Duke of Cambridge, who recently left the Royal Air Force after more than seven years of service.

Queen Elizabeth II at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph. Credit: PA Wire

The Duchess of Cambridge joined the Countess of Wessex and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, watching from the balcony of the Foreign Office in front of the Cenotaph.

The Duke of York, together with Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, took part in a service at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, where Prime Minister David Cameron has announced British troops will cease combat operations by 2014's end.

Before participating in this morning's service at Whitehall, the Prime Minister said in a tweet: "We must never forget those who sacrificed so much for our country."

Ireland's Taoiseach Enda Kenny paid his respects to those killed in the 1987 IRA Poppy Day bombing, where he joined Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers at the war memorial in Enniskillen.

A cross to remember Drummer Lee Rigby in the Field of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey. Credit: Jeff Moore/Empics Entertainment

Fusilier Lee Rigby, who was killed in London in May, was among the 10 British forces personnel to have died on operations since last Remembrance Sunday. His family joined the service in Bury to pay their respects.